Sadly Rhino poaching in South Africa is a major problem with 749 deaths this year alone. In 2014 the figures hit 1,215, that's one Rhino killed every 8 hours and the numbers have been rising year on year. According to the South African Department of Environmental affairs, Rhino deaths will out number births in 2016-2018 leading to their extinction in only a matter of a few years.
This has led to many nature reserves, including Rietvlei dehorning the Rhinos to protect them from poachers. It has been 3 years since the last Rhino was poached at Rietleiv due to additional security measures. The Rhino's horns will grow back over time in the same way fingernails do.
I've paid a couple of visits to Rietvlei on my recent stay in South Africa, they currently have 16 rhinos and I was fortunate to see 4 of them.
I hope when I next visit South Africa, I get to see many more, but sadly, I don't think this will be the case.
I hope when I next visit South Africa, I get to see many more, but sadly, I don't think this will be the case.
It's so sad how animals are being hunted down and killed as what? A sport? For money? In this day and age, when everyone supposedly knows that it's wrong and even illegal to do so. I hope that we don't lose anymore of these beautiful creatures! #animaltales
ReplyDeleteit's for the rhino horn which has absolutely no medicinal properties what so ever
DeleteI feel so sad that the Rhinos have to be de-horned to spare them from being poached. It's a greedy world we live in. :(
ReplyDeleteit is very sad, but it saves the rhinos life
Deletethey are very beautiful animals. It is shocking the depths to which people will descend.
ReplyDeleteit's truly awful how they slaughter the poor animals
DeleteIt makes me so angry ! Love the rhinos
ReplyDeleteme too and for what?
DeleteSo many rhinos killed and for what - their horns? Long may this programme live and long live rhinos. Thank you for adding this post to #AnimalTales and for being such a good supporter of the link over the last year.
ReplyDeletekilled for matted hair that has no properties what so ever, at least the horn grows back, but i worry about all the darting they have to do to de horn the rhino
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